Off-Broadway's Manhattan Theatre Club (MTC) has announced the latest recipients of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Initiative commissions, which support new theatrical works focused on themes of science, math, and technology. 

The commissioned writers are Sonali Bhattacharyya, Zachariah Ezer, Beth Hyland, Aurora Real de Asua, and Ruby Thomas. MTC will also present a reading of excerpts from three MTC/Sloan commissions in progress, followed by a conversation on those plays and their themes. 

Held December 2 at New York City Center Stage II, the invite-only event will feature excerpts from works by Shayok Misha Chowdhury, Noah Diaz, and Max Posner, with creative direction by Caitlin Sullivan. A following panel discussion with the playwrights and scientists will be moderated by Dr. Ruth Angus, associate curator and professor of astrophysics at the American Museum of Natural History.

“We are proud to support these new play commissions by five talented playwrights who propose to incorporate scientific themes and characters with originality and insight,“ Doron Weber, Vice President and Program Director of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, said in a statement. “The pathbreaking MTC/Sloan partnership of more than two decades has resulted in wonderful plays that have been produced in major theatres around the globe and transformed how we view both science and theatre. We are delighted to celebrate this exciting program with an evening of excerpts and discussion.”

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